


Be Mine

by carolinagirl919



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Gen, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-29
Updated: 2014-03-29
Packaged: 2018-01-17 11:10:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1385437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carolinagirl919/pseuds/carolinagirl919
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joss Carter has a special Valentine’s Day with surprises from some of the men (and women) in her life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just a fun holiday-inspired fic I wrote for Valentine’s Day last month.

"Rise and shine!" Taylor said as he walked into his mother's bedroom with a tray carrying her breakfast.

Joss groaned into her pillow and buried herself deeper into the covers. "Five more minutes," she grumbled.

"No way, mom. I woke up at the crack of dawn and worked hard on this breakfast."

"Breakfast? You cooked?" she asked as she lifted her head from under the covers and saw her son standing at her bedside with a tray to serve her breakfast in bed. She couldn't hide the look of joy and surprise from her face as she sat up. "Taylor! Baby, this is so sweet of you!"

She propped her pillows against the headboard so that she could comfortably sit against it and accept the tray. When he placed it on her lap, she saw a small vase with a single pink rose, a glass of orange juice, a small bowl of mixed fruit, and a plate with scrambled eggs, overcooked bacon, and overdone heart-shaped pancakes. She smiled and looked back up at him to see the proudest look on his face. Her son was a sweetheart, but she would have to teach him how to cook before he went off to college.

"This looks amazing baby, thank you. But why the royal treatment this morning?" She had no idea what the reason was behind such a sweet gesture and she hoped that he wasn't about to give her any bad news.

He looked at her strangely and replied, "It's Valentine's Day. I know you've been so busy lately and I wanted to do something nice for you."

Joss smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. "Oh, no. I completely forgot." She looked back up at him and said, "Thank you for being so thoughtful. How'd I get so lucky to get you as a son?"

Taylor gave a smug smile and replied, "Yeah, you are pretty lucky." His words were met with a thrown pillow hitting the side of his head. He ducked away in time to miss the second pillow Joss threw at him.

"Boy if you don't get outta here and go clean up my kitchen!" Joss shouted playfully.

He laughed on his way out of the room. "It's not _that_ bad, mom. But... I don't know if I'll have time to clean all the dishes before I have to leave."

She sighed and shook her head. "Just go get ready for school. You don't need to be late today."

He flashed another bright smile at her and closed the bedroom door on his way out. He was beginning to look so much like his father, Paul. She picked up a fork and took a bite of the eggs. She grimaced before she hurriedly washed them down with a large gulp of orange juice. Apparently, his smile wasn't the only thing he inherited from his father. She picked at the rest of her breakfast and consumed what was edible.

* * *

Joss carried her tray downstairs, fully dressed and ready for the day. She went to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee and to view the aftermath of Taylor's Valentine's gift. The kitchen was worse than she imagined. Flour was all over the floor and countertops, the eggs, milk, and butter weren't put back in the fridge, and several dirty pans and bowls were piled in the sink as the faucet drip, drip, dripped.

"It's not _that_ bad, mom," she muttered, imitating Taylor's voice.

There was no need to fuss because he had already left for school. She placed the tray next to the sink and rinsed her breakfast dishes, adding to the already tall pile of dirty dishes stacked in the sink. She made the decision to forgo making a fresh pot of coffee and decided to take a gamble with the brew from the precinct.

She placed the butter, milk, and eggs back in the refrigerator. When she turned to head out of the kitchen, a flash of yellow caught her eye. There was a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses sitting in the center of her breakfast table. She smiled and walked to the table to admire the bouquet and read the card that came with it. She sniffed the roses while she opened the small envelope to pull out the card. Initially, she thought they were from Taylor, but was pleasantly surprised when she read the note.

_Happy Valentine's Day to an incredible woman who is strong, kind, and beautiful. A woman who was there for me when I didn't want to be there for myself. We're no longer together, but I will always have a place in my heart for you._

_Love, Paul_

_P.S. I hope Taylor didn't burn your breakfast. I'll be picking him up from school so enjoy your evening._

Joss couldn't keep the grin off her face. She and Paul had come a long way. They won't ever be the happily married couple they once were, and they both knew there would be no reunion or trying again, but she was happy with how things were right now. She was happy that he was back in Taylor's life and that they had found a way to build their father-son bond over the past year. She snuck another whiff of the fragrant bouquet and set the card on the table.

She may not have had the best breakfast this morning, her kitchen was a disaster, and she was single once again on Valentine's Day; but she felt loved. She grabbed her keys, purse, and coat and headed off to work.


	2. Chapter 2

Joss made a last minute decision to stop by her favorite coffee shop a block away from the precinct. The owner of the shop and the employees were very festive today. The store was heavily decorated in red and pink, there was a special on Valentine's themed lattes, and even the cashier was dressed up as Cupid. She ordered two coffees to go and smiled at the handsome, young, and flirtatious barista behind the counter.

"Happy Valentine's Day, beautiful. Any plans tonight?" he asked.

She grinned at his attempt to flirt with her and peered at his name tag before she replied. "Nope. Can't say I do, John**."

"Maybe we could hang out later?"

As flattered as she was, she had to turn him down. "You'll just have to work your charm on the next girl in line."

"But they're not as pretty as you." She laughed and shook her head. He sighed and replied, "Oh well. Maybe in another life and in another story..."

"Maybe." She reached in her purse to take out the money to pay for her order.

He held up his hand and shook his head. "It's on the house, sweetheart. Happy Valentine's Day."

"Thanks for the coffees." She held up the two cups and gave a brief nod. "Happy Valentine's Day." She walked out of the coffee shop with a grin on her face and headed to the precinct.

* * *

Fusco sat at his desk and stared at the ostentatious display of long-stemmed dark red roses on his partner's desk. There had to be at least three dozen roses in the expensive looking crystal vase. _I guess Wonderboy finally decided to make a move_ , he thought as he eyed the gift basket next to the flowers.

He usually hated this time of year, but this time around he was looking forward to tonight and the rest of the weekend. He and Rhonda had planned a romantic getaway this weekend at the Poconos. He made a mental note to stop by the florist to get flowers for Rhonda before he picked her up to make the drive out to the resort.

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee from a cup placed on his desk in front of him brought him out of his musings. He looked up to see his partner with a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes. _Maybe Wonderboy_ already _made a move and those flowers are just a gesture of his appreciation for_ her _moves._

"Happy Valentine's Day, Fusco. Got you a coffee."

"Thanks. Some rookie screwed up the coffee maker this morning so I haven't had my morning dose of caffeine yet." He took an appreciative sip of the coffee.

"Glad, I changed my mind and stopped by the coffee shop around the way."

"Yeah, I know that place. Rhonda likes going there. She says it's because the coffee tastes good, but I think it's because of that young guy behind the counter. Black guy, maybe mid-20s, with dreadlocks. Good looking guy, but a flirt."

Joss chuckled. "Yeah, I know who you're talking about."

"Oh, no. Not my partner, too!" he replied with faux disappointment.

With a smile, she shook her head and turned to walk over to her desk. She nearly stumbled when she noticed the large bouquet of blood red roses. The fragrance was potent and heady and she wasn't even close to her desk.

She turned to Fusco and gave him a questioning look. He responded with a shrug and took another sip of his coffee.

The roses were exquisite and expensive, as was the vase they were held in. She tapped a fingernail against the vase and the distinct 'ding' let her know that it was crystal. She let out a low whistle and wondered who would make such an over the top gesture. There was no card with this bouquet, so she looked at the gift basket.

The basket was filled with indulgent dark and milk chocolate candies, wedges of rich cheeses, and a 1997 vintage Bordeaux. Needless to say, she was stunned into a silence. Who was the sender? The corner of a white envelope was sticking out under the box of chocolates. She removed the card from the envelope and took a seat before she fainted of sheer embarrassment. She knew who it was from before she ever read a word because of the familiar handwriting.

_Detective Carter,_

_As I understand, it's no longer officer now, which I believe is cause for celebration. I also wanted to express my gratitude, for I owe you a blood debt. Flowers and fine wine can never be enough to pay you back for saving my life, but I've always been a believer of the saying, "It's the thought that counts."_

_I know our alliance is short-lived, and I have no doubt that once the trial of Quinn comes to a close, you will come after me. But for now, I'll enjoy having a woman with your temerity on my side._

_Wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day,_

_Carl_

_P.S. Perhaps the wine and chocolates would be best if shared with a mutual friend of ours. I'm sure you two have avoided it long enough. Although I'm not so sure that Anthony would be happy about it._

Fusco watched Joss while she read the card. Several emotions ran across her face. At first there was a look of shock that soon changed to embarrassment. Embarrassment was followed by a look of amusement, and as she finished the letter there was a look of confusion and another expression he couldn't quite read. It almost looked like she was blushing. It definitely had to be Wonderboy.

"So... Who's the secret admirer?" Fusco asked.

With the expression on her face, she looked like a deer caught in headlights. "What?"

"Who sent the flowers? And the goodie basket?"

"Um... A um... A C.I. of mine."

He snorted. "Yeah, right. Since when did Wonderboy become your C.I.?"

"Who?"

"You know, Big Guy. Bane of my existence. John."

"It's not from him." She genuinely did not understand why he thought they came from John.

After their moment together in the morgue when he kissed her, they hadn't really had a chance to be alone and talk about what happened. He, Finch, Shaw, and Root had been busy dealing with whatever it was with the super computer of Finch's. Or 'the machine' as he called it. Anytime John contacted her, it was work related. Their interactions weren't awkward. If anything, it was the same flirtatious banter between them that it had always been, but work was getting in the way for both of them.

"Oh... Well okay. Obviously you don't wanna tell me so I'll leave it alone. However, if it wasn't him then I feel sorry for the guy who _did_ send it to you once GI Joe finds out."

Joss rolled her eyes and sighed. "Drink your coffee, Fusco." _And mind your business_ , she thought. She signed in to her computer and started on her work for the day, wondering if this was the end of an interesting morning or just the beginning of a very intriguing day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Special thanks to one of my favorite authors, Jakela, for letting me borrow one of her fabulous original characters. I wasn't going to give him back, but I did. ;-p 
> 
> For those of you unfamiliar with John the barista, I highly recommend you take some time to check out Jakela's fic, "Near Death Experience", if you haven't already.
> 
> I don't believe it's posted here on AO3, so you'll have to find it on ff.net.


	3. Chapter 3

"Good morning, Mr. Reese," Finch said as John walked in with their daily cups of coffee and tea, along with a box of sweet treats from the bakery nearby. There was a smaller box on top of his doughnuts.

Bear bounded for his master, full of joy and enthusiasm. Settling the items in place on a table nearby, John replied, "Good morning, Finch. Any new numbers today?" He gave Bear a good scratch behind the ears, causing his tail to wag happily behind him.

There was a slight hesitation before Finch's answer. "Yes, but I think this number would be best handled by Detective Carter and Miss Shaw." He stood and slowly walked to the cracked glass board to tape a picture of their latest number.

"Girls have all the fun," John replied, pretending to be put out. He was actually happy that he could sit this one out because he would finally have the free time to see a certain lady detective and finally get a chance to talk to her about what happened between them at the morgue. At least he would have, but once again work foiled those plans. "What do we know about this number so far?"

"Sharon Huff. Age 56. Owns the Magnolia Day Spa, an exclusive spa in Manhattan. Only accommodates female clientele."

"Which is why you're sitting this one out, John," said a female voice behind them. John turned to see Shaw saunter in the room with an even bigger scowl than normal on her face. He wasn't surprised. Shaw didn't seem to be the sentimental type, and he was sure the commercialized holiday of overpriced flowers, candy, and garish displays of pink and red wasn't her cup of tea.

John took that as his cue to irritate her even more. He grabbed one of the boxes he brought in earlier and one of the coffees. He handed them to her and said, "Happy Valentine's Day, Shaw." He made sure to say it in almost a sing-song voice and gave her his best smirk.

She glared at him and he could've sworn he heard a growl come from her as she snatched the items from his hands. _She spends too much time with Bear_ , he thought. She took a sip of the coffee, grunted her approval, and placed it on the table so that both hands were available to hold and open the box. Her scowl turned into a look of appreciation once she saw what was inside. He bought her breakfast from the nearby diner; steak with grilled onions, scrambled eggs, home fries, and toast with butter.

"You're welcome," he said, knowing he wouldn't get a thank you. Instead, he got a grunt in response along with a cutting glare before she walked off to the kitchenette area in the next room. Hopefully, she would take advantage of the dishes and utensils available. He shuddered as he thought about the last time he saw her eat a steak he bought for her.

Turning his attention back to Finch, he asked, "Do we know who could be after her?"

There was another hesitation before Finch answered. "There is nothing in her background that says someone is after her. She's been happily married to the same man for 32 years and her business is financially solvent."

"Maybe it could be one of her clients that's after her. I could run surveillance to see who goes in and who goes out," John offered.

Finch settled back in his chair in front of the computer and began to type. "That won't be necessary, Mr. Reese. Take the day off. I'll contact you if a problem arises or if we have another number." His eyes never left the screen.

John had a gut feeling that Finch wasn't being completely open with him, but let it go. He'd find out what Finch was up to soon enough. He placed one of the doughnuts he purchased on a napkin and carried it along with the cup of tea over to the desk where Finch sat.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Finch." He placed the items down on the desk, keeping the food and drink at a reasonable distance from the keyboard.

Finch looked at the heart-shaped doughnut with pink frosting and red and white sprinkles with a raised eyebrow. "You get the day off and I get a doughnut with pink frosting and sprinkles. I hope you have something better for Detective Carter."

John knew that Finch heard everything that happened between him and Joss at the morgue. He was just surprised that Finch would be bold enough to comment on his love life. That wasn't something John was sure he wanted.

"You're not as pretty as she is, so you only get tea and a doughnut," he joked.

"I feel so special," Finch deadpanned.

John grinned and made an exit, taking Bear with him. If he was getting the day off, he would take advantage of it. He had to make a few stops and buy a few things so that he would be able to surprise his detective once she came home.

* * *

For most of the morning, a few of the women at the precinct stopped by her desk to admire the flowers and gift basket, while Joss had to constantly deflect any questions about who sent them. After a while, things died down and her coworkers went to go coo over another bouquet that had been delivered to the receptionist up front. Joss had never been happier to see another woman get flowers on Valentine's Day.

She noted the time on her computer and saw it was time for lunch. If that didn't tell her, than the rumbling in her belly definitely let her know that it was time to grab a bite to eat. She stood to remove her coat from the back of her chair when she heard someone approach her desk and place something on it with a soft thud. She turned to see a square shaped glass vase filled with pink tulips sitting on her desk and looked up to see who her visitor was.

"Ian."

He gave her a sheepish smile as he looked at the roses and back at her. "Long time no see, Joss. Maybe too long." He nodded his head towards the bouquet.

"Oh, I... um... Those are from a C.I."

"Wow. That's one heck of a gift from an informant."

"Yeah, tell me about it." She chuckled nervously and changed the subject. "Thank you for the tulips, Ian. Is that all that brings you by?"

"Actually," he stepped closer to her, reached out, and held her hand. "I was hoping that I could take you out for lunch and catch up on things. I figured a woman as beautiful as you would already have dinner plans."

Joss blushed and looked down. She forgot how charming he could be when he wanted to. She looked back up at him as he looked at her expectantly, waiting for her answer.

"I..." Her response was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. She saw the blocked number on the display and knew she needed to answer. "I have to take this call. Can you give me just one minute?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Thanks," she replied before releasing his hand and stepping away to an empty conference room nearby.

"Carter," she answered.

"Carter, I need you to ditch Casanova and meet me at the Magnolia Day Spa. We've got a new number."

"Well hello to you too, Shaw."

"Finch sent a car. It's already outside waiting for you. I'll see you in 20."

"But I haven't eaten lunch─ hello?" Joss was talking to no one because Shaw had already ended the call. She huffed out a frustrated sigh before she walked back to her desk.

Joss gave Ian an apologetic look and he already knew that he wouldn't be spending any time with her today. "I'm sorry, Ian, but work calls. Maybe another time?"

He smiled warmly at her and helped her put on her coat. "Sure thing, Joss. Your number is still the same, right?"

"Right."

"Then you'll hear from me soon." He placed a soft kiss on her cheek and spoke softly against her ear, "Happy Valentine's Day, Joss. Don't work too hard today."

Another blush crossed her features as he winked at her and walked out of the precinct. Soon after, she followed his lead and exited the building to find a black town car outside waiting for her. The driver opened the door and she settled in, wondering what kind of crazy predicament she'd end up getting into with Shaw today.


	4. Chapter 4

John stopped by the flower shop to find roses for Joss, but was unpleasantly surprised to find that they were out of every flower but carnations. Carnations? He couldn't buy her carnations; especially not after what he saw from the video footage on his phone coming from the doll-cam on Fusco's desk.

First, some schmuck gave her what looked like all the red roses in New York City along with a gift basket. Then a few hours later, Ian Murphy showed up with tulips, sniffing around trying to sneak his way back into the picture. There was no way John was going to let Joss slip away before he even had a chance to let her know what she meant to him; to let her know that he meant every word he said in the morgue and it wasn't just because he thought he was going to die for her that night.

Maybe it was time for him to think outside of the box. He walked over to the clerk behind the counter. "Excuse me, I see that you're out of roses, but do you have anything else other than carnations?"

The young woman gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry sir, but we're all out." Noticing the slight look of disappointment on his face, that was only matched by the pitiful whimper of the dog that was with him, she wanted to make it right. She couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy and the adorable dog with him wasn't helping matters. "Well… we do have an order that was canceled today. There was supposed to be a wedding, but I guess things didn't work out for the bride and groom."

John almost felt bad about the joy he felt at the misfortune of others, almost. He hoped that whatever she had in the back wasn't carnations. "So what do you have?"

"They aren't roses. Actually, it was a large order of white lilies and jasmine flowers that we had flown in from south Asia. My boss wanted to hold off on these and possibly use them for another wedding party tomorrow because we had a shortage on white roses for the bouquets of the bridal party, but I think I can get what you need. They're really pretty flowers and very fragrant. Maybe not as traditional as roses, but I'm sure your friend will appreciate the sentiment. If I recall correctly, jasmine symbolizes attachment and sensuality."

John couldn't believe his luck. He had been given the opportunity to give her something different and much more meaningful. Jasmine was the scent Joss always wore. The soft scent that would linger long after she'd left. "Could you create an arrangement for me with what you have and create a small bag of petals for me? I'll pay whatever it costs."

The clerk smiled at the handsome older man, happy to have helped him, and curious about the woman on the receiving end of these flowers. "Give me about an hour to create the arrangement and prepare the petals and it will be ready when you return. Unless you'd like to wait?"

"I'll come back. I have other stops to make." He and Bear left the flower shop to head over to a specialty boutique near his loft. The Valentine's Day gods were looking out for him so far, so he'd trust his gut and head that way. He had a feeling that whatever else it was that he was looking for, he would find there.

* * *

Joss walked inside the exclusive Magnolia Day Spa where she found Shaw waiting in the luxurious lobby. Their surroundings were beautiful and calming, yet Shaw was sitting there with her signature look; a perpetual blend of a scowl and a pout on her face. Joss couldn't hold in her giggle as she walked over and took a seat next to her.

"Could you look any more miserable, Shaw?"

"What do you mean? I'm fine." Shaw was genuinely puzzled. She really was okay. Bored maybe, but not miserable. She needed to learn how to school her facial features better.

"Sure," Joss replied, not really taking her word for it, but dropping the matter. "Who's our number and what are we doing here?" she asked quietly.

Shaw gestured in the direction of the receptionist's desk and said, "You see the blonde haired woman who just came from that office?"

"Yeah."

"That's her. Sharon Huff. She owns this place."

"Any idea on who would be after her?"

"Not a clue. Finch says her background checks out. Happily married, financially solvent, and no known enemies or disputes. Then again, Finch was acting a bit more secretive than normal today so I'm not sure what we're supposed to look for."

"From what I've heard of this place, it's very hard to get an appointment. So I take it that Finch worked his magic to get us in to collect intel."

"Yep."

"There's just one issue."

"What's that?" Shaw looked over to Joss curiously.

"I haven't had lunch yet and I'm starving. This place seems more like a cucumber finger sandwich type of place rather than the meatloaf and potatoes I was craving from Lyric Diner."

Shaw smiled one of her rare smiles that actually met her eyes. "My kinda girl." They both laughed. "Actually, according to this brochure," she held up a colorful brochure with pictures of customers relaxing, "they have an in-house chef that can make healthier versions of your favorite meals to order. Or, you can try the daily special."

"Sounds good," Joss said with a grin.

"So what do you want to do first?" asked Shaw.

"Something fast; I _do_ have to get back to the precinct. So maybe a pedicure?"

"Oh, please. Finch and Fusco will cover for you. Let's get the ultimate package and spend all of Finch's money. I have a sneaky feeling that was his intention anyway."

Joss raised an eyebrow and looked at Shaw skeptically. "Wait, you think Finch _intentionally_ sent us here? For what?"

"For Valentine's Day," Shaw answered with a dramatic eye roll.

"But why..." Joss stopped mid-sentence as she thought about everything that had happened to her so far. "Maybe you're right."

"I'm always right. Maybe you and John should write that down for later reference."

"Excuse me? What do you mean by that?" Shaw was the third person today to insinuate a relationship between her and John.

Shaw shot her a look. "Don't tell me the 'just friends' lie that he already told me months ago."

"Wait... what? But we are─"

"Ms. Wright," the receptionist called out. Shaw turned to the friendly brunette. "We're ready for you and Ms. Carter. Would you like to start with a full body massage?"

" _Absolutely_. But before that, could my friend and I get a bite to eat? Maybe even a glass of wine, or something stronger if you have it."

"That won't be a problem. Why don't you two follow me," she requested as she stood and gestured toward the door. The ladies stood up and followed the receptionist through the door and into the spa.

* * *

One meal, massage, mud bath, facial, body wax, sea salt scrub, and seaweed wrap later, Joss and Sam found themselves wrapped in fluffy bathrobes, sipping on martinis as they received manicures and pedicures.

Joss took another sip of her chocolate cherry Valentine's Day themed martini. "I don't think we're supposed to be drinking on the job, Sam."

Shaw finished off the rest of her martini in one large gulp. "Oh, please. This isn't a real job and you know it. We've been here for hours getting non-stop VIP treatment. Trust me on this. As a matter of fact, call Finch yourself. What kind of wager do you want to make on it?"

"No wager. Just the euphoria of being proven right is enough for me," Joss replied as she dialed Finch's number.

"Party pooper."

"Baby."

Shaw stuck her tongue like a child, while Joss playfully rolled her eyes. Finch picked up on the second ring. "Detective Carter, I hope that you and Miss Shaw are enjoying yourselves."

"We are. I take it that you've heard everything?"

"Well, not _everything_ , but enough to know the reason for your call," Finch replied.

"And..." Joss nudged.

"I'm afraid to say that Miss Shaw is right─"

"Told ya!" Shaw exclaimed.

"I wanted to be able to do something special for the both of you to show my appreciation for what you do and who you are."

Joss smiled softly and said, "Thank you, Harold."

"You are most welcome, Joss. The car will be ready to pick you up when you and Miss Shaw are finished taking advantage of the many amenities available there. I made sure Fusco collected the gifts from your desk and placed them in the town car so that you don't have to stop by the precinct on your way home."

"You most certainly think of everything. So what do I get for my birthday?" Joss asked in a teasing tone.

She couldn't see how his face began to redden, but she could hear the smile in his voice when he replied, "I suppose we'll both find out when the time comes. Good evening, Joss. Happy Valentine's Day," he said before he disconnected the call.

* * *

After nails were dried, eyebrows shaped, and makeup professionally applied, Joss felt pampered, appreciated, and beautiful. She and Shaw walked out of the spa and made their way to the town car waiting for them.

After settling in, Shaw nosily looked inside the box Fusco packed with all of Joss' gifts. "Wow! _Somebody_ really wanted you to be their Valentine. This is a very pricy bottle of wine. Couldn't have come from John, but then again if it's for you then maybe he classed it up."

"Nothing in that box came from John. You and Fusco need to let it go," Joss said in annoyance.

"So _none_ of this came from John? Not the roses, the tulips, the wine, cheese, and chocolate. Not the... hey what's this?" Shaw asked as she pulled out a large pastel pink gift bag.

Joss looked at it curiously as Shaw handed it to her. "I don't know. This must have arrived after I left to 'help' you with the 'number'. Today has been really unusual, but really nice. I've been showered with gifts all day," Joss said with a smile.

"Who knew you were such a maneater?"

"Shut-up, Sam." Joss started to look inside the gift bag, moving the tissue aside before Shaw interrupted her.

"Well, don't open that one yet. I..." Joss sat the gift bag down by her feet and looked over to Shaw as she seemed to struggle with what she wanted to say. She remained silent and allowed Shaw time express herself. "I got you something, too."

"What?"

"Don't take it the wrong way. I'm not in love with you or anything. I'm not John." She saw Joss roll her eyes, but ignored it and continued. "But... I _do_ like you and I don't like many, well... _any_ people. So I got you something." She reached inside her satchel and pulled out a small black case.

Joss took the case and sat it on her lap. She looked at Shaw straight on and said, "I know that was a big step for you because you're so closed off emotionally. Whatever is in this case, it doesn't matter because I appreciate it and you."

Shaw snorted. "No, it matters. This is the best gift you'll get today. Open it."

Joss chuckled and shook her head before she opened the case. She let out a gasp and a girly squeal. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Yep," Shaw answered with a smug smile. It was a Beretta Nano 9x19mm Parabellum handgun. She remembered how much Joss liked hers and decided to get one for her to have for her collection.

Joss slid the magazine in and out of the chamber and got used to the weight of it in her hands. "You might be right, Shaw. This is the best gift so far. Wait… how'd you get this? _Sam_ …"

"No worries, Carter. It's clean. Like I said before, write it down so that you won't forget next time. I'm _always_ right. Now go on and see what's in the gift bag. I wanna know what else you got."

Joss placed her newly acquired firearm back inside its case and placed it in the box along with her other gifts. She reached inside the gift bag and pulled out one of two boxes tucked inside the pastel pink tissue paper. She opened the first box and discovered a sexy pair of Dolce & Gabbana black lace and mesh ankle boots.

"Nice," Shaw said excitedly.

"Definitely," Joss agreed.

"What else is in there?"

Joss placed the shoe box back in the bag and removed the other box. Inside was a beautiful and obviously expensive black lace bra and panty set.

"Okay, that's definitely got to be from John. If it isn't, I feel sorry for the guy who sent it when John finds out."

"Who are you? Fusco's echo?" Joss asked in annoyance.

"What?"

"Never mind. I don't think it's from him."

Who in the hell would give her this? John wouldn't be this forward would he? She looked in the bag and shifted the tissue around until she found a small white card, no envelope, no embellishments. Just a simple note in black ink.

_Happy Valentine's Day_

_Tony_

Shaw looked at Joss anxiously, waiting for her to share who purchased the sexy shoes and lingerie, but all Joss did was stare at the card in confusion and disgust. _Definitely not from John_ , Shaw thought. "So who sent it?"

Of all the people to get her something, Scarface had to be the one to take it _there_. Joss frowned deeply and replied, "No one." She tossed the card back inside the bag, followed by the gift box, and was silent for the remainder of the ride.


	5. Chapter 5

Joss was still silent as the town car pulled up to her brownstone. Noticing the change in her demeanor from happy and positively glowing, to angry and disgusted, Shaw knew she had to say something. Even if she couldn't understand why Joss was upset over a $900 pair of shoes. Shaw wouldn't care if they came from Hersh; she would wear those ankle boots with a little black dress and go find some trouble to get into.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Joss gave a small, but reassuring smile and replied, "I'm fine, Shaw."

"Okay, but if you want me to, I'll shoot him. But not in the kneecaps. That's so lame," Shaw replied, with another dig towards John.

Joss laughed. "Thanks, but no thanks. I can handle him myself." Changing the subject, Joss asked, "So what will you be up to tonight?"

"Since you're not available─"

"What do you mean?" Joss interrupted. "I don't have plans tonight. I could do a quick change and we can paint the town red. Ooh! Maybe we could go to the gun range so I can try out my new present."

Shaw stared at Joss for a moment and said, "You sound… _so_ hot right now, but no. There's a certain someone who needs to be let out of their cage to play and she's going to play with me tonight."

Joss made a face and replied, "I don't even think I want to know what you mean by that."

Shaw smirked. "I think you do. Besides, I'm pretty sure John already broken into your house and is waiting for you. At least he better be. I'm turning down a night out with you to spare his feelings."

Joss scoffed at Shaw's excuse. Sure, Shaw may have had a girl crush on her, but she knew they were only friends. "If you're right-"

"I am. I told you that. Always right. What was my cover name at the spa?"

Joss chuckled before responding, "Sam Wright."

"Exactly. Because I'm always right."

Joss rolled her eyes. "Like I was saying, _if_ you're right, then he didn't break in this time."

"You gave him a key?" Shaw asked in disbelief before letting out an unladylike snort and laugh. "Just friends my ass!" Shaw exclaimed.

Joss ignored her rude comment and turned towards the door that was now held open by the driver. "On that note, I think it's time to call it a night."

"See ya, Joss. Give that man a good lay for Valentine's sake."

Joss felt her face flush with embarrassment. "I can't believe you just said that." She placed the gift bag inside the large cardboard box with the other gifts from her admirers. Secretly, she hoped that Shaw was right and John would be inside waiting for her. If so, thank goodness Taylor was staying with his father tonight.

The driver carried the box for her and followed her up the stairs to her door. When she unlocked and opened the front door, she was greeted with the aroma of a home cooked meal being prepared in her kitchen. John's furry four-legged companion leapt from her couch and bounded for her with a tongue-hanging smile and a wagging tail. She cooed to Bear and gave him a good scratch behind the ears. The driver carried her box inside and placed it on the coffee table as she directed. He left soon after, declining a tip, and she closed the door behind him.

Joss stood in front of her couch waiting for John to come from the kitchen. Realizing that John wasn't going to greet her right away, she took time to place her newly acquired flowers on various tables around the living room. The tulips were placed on an end table and the roses were placed on the coffee table. The gift basket was placed next to the roses until she could remove the items and store the basket away for later use.

The two gifts remaining, Shaw's Nano and Scarface's shoes and... _other things_ , stayed in the box as she carried them upstairs. She decided to freshen up a bit, change out of her work clothes, and glam it up a bit before she greeted the uninvited but handsome guest making an even bigger mess in her kitchen.

* * *

John had just finished removing the lamb shanks from the cast iron Dutch oven when he heard the front door open, signaling Joss' arrival. As he suspected, Finch was hiding something and that something was treating the ladies of their team to a relaxing day at the spa. Once again, the pressure was on John to impress her.

He knew that Joss was a woman who didn't really care about material possessions. But just like any woman, she _did_ appreciate nice things; especially if they are thoughtful gifts. He was lucky enough to find what he thought were the perfect gifts for his detective.

Before he prepared to strain the braising liquid from the dutch oven, he turned to see if she would enter the kitchen and greet him. He could hear her moving about and he pictured her placing her other flowers around the living room. He knew the tulips were from Ian, but he was curious to know who sent her the red roses. He frowned and shot a disapproving glance over to the bouquet of yellow roses on the kitchen table. He looked to the entryway once more and she still hadn't joined him in the kitchen.

He smirked as he heard her footsteps going up the stairs. If she came to the kitchen, he planned on greeting her with a kiss─ not like the one at the morgue, but a kiss that would let her know in no uncertain terms that 'whatever this is' would be so much more. Then he would give a glass of wine and usher her upstairs to freshen up and meet him back downstairs for dinner which would be ready to serve by that time.

But since she headed upstairs first, he'd just go with the flow and kiss her once she came back down. He hoped she wouldn't find what he'd done to be too forward, but he was a gambling man and he decided to go all in. He smiled and strained the braising liquid so he could make the sauce, losing himself in his thoughts.

When he first arrived at Joss' house, he went upstairs to place her presents in places throughout her room, leaving a note explaining the meaning behind each gift. Once he came back downstairs, he headed straight to her kitchen to start on dinner. The first thing he noticed was the mess, but then he saw the flowers and the note next to it. He had to have read that note at least ten times.

He knew his jealousy was irrational. When it came to Joss, his emotions weren't ever rational. On the first read, he couldn't help but to wonder who the fuck Paul was to her. On the third read, he was tempted to call Finch to check into his background. After the seventh read and a few deep breaths, he gathered that this _Paul_ was her ex and was back in her life. But at the tenth read he realized that the gesture was platonic and not romantic. His only caveat was that he didn't know about Paul and didn't know that Joss allowed him back in her and Taylor's lives. They would talk about that another night, but not tonight. Tonight would be about connecting on a deeper level. Tonight was about making the woman he loved feel special.

* * *

Joss walked into her bedroom and was greeted by another pleasing scent. It wasn't the food John was cooking downstairs. It was a familiar floral scent. A scent that was similar to the jasmine bath oil and body lotion she used daily. She looked around and saw a lovely floral arrangement on her vanity. She placed the box on the floor in front of a nearby nightstand. With tunnel vision focusing only on the flowers, she walked straight to the vanity to get a closer look of the flowers. It was an exquisite mix of jasmine and lilies.

"Beautiful," she whispered. She smelled the flowers and smiled. She was absolutely giddy that John had been so thoughtful. She wondered how he knew that she loved lilies, but brushed it aside. Between him and Finch, they seemed to know everything down to the minute details about people. That's when she noticed a note in very neat handwriting next to the flowers.

_Joss,_

_I wasn't sure what to get you for this special day, and I almost went the cheesy traditional route. You know roses, candy, big red teddy bear, and tacky balloons. After finding out the floral shop was out of roses, I realized that was a sign to go in a different direction. It was a sign that I should find things that spoke from my heart. So I found things that reminded me of you._

_You wrap yourself in such a strong and tough exterior because of your work, yet you always smell like jasmine, a soft and sensual scent. The fragrance of this bouquet reminded me of you._

Joss smiled after reading this passage, and took another sniff of her flowers, trying not to cry. After gaining a bit of composure, she continued to read.

_You work hard every single day and what you do is sometimes a thankless and stressful job. Take a relaxing bath. Just add more hot water to adjust the temperature to your liking._

"What?" Joss said quietly as she stood up and walked to her attached master bathroom. She was floored by what she saw when she opened the door. There were tea light candles lit around the bathroom and a trail of jasmine petals and tea light candles leading to her tub, already filled with warm water scented by her favorite jasmine-scented bath oil. He added petals as well as whole flowers to the bath as well.

There were more candles around her sink and a glimmering object caught her eye. The candlelight flickered against a beautiful crystal perfume bottle on the counter. She walked over to it and saw that it was sculpted into the shape of a jasmine flower. She lifted the bottle and smelled the perfume it held inside. It was a spicy, warm, and heady fragrance with jasmine being the most prominent scent. It smelled sensual and seductive. John Reese was definitely trying to seduce her and it was working.

"Wow," was all she could say. She was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed so she walked back into her bedroom. Standing by the bathroom door, she began to read the letter again.

_The night we worked the Ian Murphy case, I couldn't keep my eyes off you. You've always been beautiful to me, inside and out, but that night you were stunning. If I could do it all over again, I'm not sure I would have told Finch to include you in that case. I didn't like that you were all dressed up to catch the eye of another man. So today I selfishly bought a dress I'd like to see you in for me and only me. Humor me and wear it for dinner tonight._

She let out a small giggle and looked around her room for a gift box or a garment bag, but the black fabric laid across her bed caught her eye. She walked over to the bed, put the note down, and picked the dress up to get a better look.

It was a sleeveless sheath dress with a deep v-neckline that zipped in the back. Speaking of the back, it was cut pretty low so she wasn't sure if she could wear a bra or not. The fabric was a bit stretchy so it would hug every curve of her body. The length of the dress was... short. She wasn't exactly tall so the dress would hit mid-thigh, she hoped. _I guess he liked what he saw and wants to see more of it_ , she thought with a smile as she placed the dress back on the bed. She was happy to oblige with his request to wear the dress for him.

Joss noticed that there was a small white gift box on the bed. She wasn't sure if she wanted to open it right away or read the rest of the letter. Curiosity got the better of her and she went for the box, untying the red ribbon wrapped around it. She removed the lid, which had the name _Jack Vartanian_ written on the inside of it, to reveal what looked like two sets of handcuffs, regular size and a smaller version, but they weren't real handcuffs. They were gold and studded with diamonds. She couldn't hold in the laugh that bubbled out of her as she remembered telling him she wanted to see him in the back of her squad car in handcuffs.

She picked up the letter to read the rest of his note. She could help but laugh again as she read on.

_Do you remember when you said you always pictured me in the back of your car... in handcuffs? When I saw this bracelet and ring set I immediately thought of that moment._

_You are a very special woman to me and nothing would please me more than if you would be mine._

_Will you be my valentine?_

Joss started to tear up again. "Yes... I will."


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, we see what happens with the other members of Team Machine and we close out the story with Careese. And I want to give a warning since I didn't change the rating. After Joss and John go upstairs, mild smut ensues. So if that isn't your thing, you can read up to that point and it ends there for you. Happy reading and I hoped you all enjoyed this story. :)

Finch closed out the windows on his screen and shut down his computer. The machine had been quiet for the majority of the day and he hoped that things would remain that way for the rest of the evening. He knew what John and Detective Carter would be up to, as well as Detective Fusco and his lady friend, Rhonda. He had no idea what Shaw would get into, but he hoped she would have a free night as well. He stood and moved slowly to the kitchenette to warm up a can of soup so that Miss Groves would have dinner before he left for the evening.

As he made his way to the Faraday cage carrying a silver tray with her dinner, he heard voices. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end and he had to steady his shaking hands so that he would not drop the tray. He moved closer to the cage and stopped just around the corner as the voices became clearer and more recognizable.

"So Sameen, what exactly is it that you want with me?"

"I think it's time for you to come out of the cage for a while, but you'll be on a short leash tonight."

"You flatter me, but I was hoping to spend time with Harry tonight. It is Valentine's Day. 'She' told me he gets lonely around this time because of his beloved Grace." Root spat out Grace's name in disgust.

"You're not doing anything with him tonight. Do you wanna get outta here or do you wanna stay in this cage all night?"

There was a pregnant pause before Finch heard a reply. "Fine. Do I get a phone?"

"No. Hell no."

"Then what are we going to do?"

"That's for me to know and for you to find out." Harold heard Shaw unlocking the door to the cage and pulling it open. He scurried away as fast as he could back to the kitchenette to put away the tray and leave Miss Shaw and Miss Groves to their own devices tonight. He just hoped that he wouldn't regret it.

* * *

Finch waited a while and ensured that Shaw and Root had already left before he exited the library, locking it up behind him. The evening was brisk, but not as cold as it had been for the past few weeks. The polar vortex had hit the northeast with a vengeance, but fortunately for the night of love, the people of New York were given a brief reprieve.

He decided to walk to one of his favorite restaurants nearby. He knew he wouldn't be able to get a table on Valentine's night, but he would take his order to go and call for a driver to take him home for a quiet evening alone. He made his way to the bar of the restaurant to have a drink and place his order when he heard a woman's voice behind him.

"Harold? I thought that was you."

He turned to find a face he'd never forget. Big brown eyes and an even bigger smile welcomed him. "Hello Ms. Jacobs. It's been quite a while."

"Absolutely! And please, call me Monica." She leaned in to give him a hug which he accepted awkwardly. "After everything you did for me, I think that you should at least address me by my first name. Are you meeting anyone here tonight?"

Finch found himself blushing before he replied, "No… I'm ordering dinner to go."

Monica looked disappointed. "Oh, that's too bad. I came here to meet a guy for a blind date and got stood up. I was just happy to see a familiar face. I'll let you go…"

"Well… Monica… if we can get a table, I don't see why we can't at least share a meal together." What had gotten into him? This was completely out of character for him and what he needed to do was to go home and have his meal, alone.

Her face lit up and she replied, "I don't see why we can't share a meal either."

It wasn't a romantic dinner with his true love, Grace, but it was a dinner with a lovely woman that he had so much in common with, and at least he wouldn't be alone.

* * *

After her bath, Joss rubbed her favorite lotion on nearly every part of her body. Wrapped in a terry cloth robe, she remembered that she needed to put away her other gifts. She took the small gun case out of the box and removed the Nano. She walked over to her closet to add it to the collection she already had, stored away in a large, silver gun case.

As she placed the Nano in an open slot, she was hit with the memory of the earlier times of her and John's relationship. She smirked as she remembered him stumbling out of the trunk of a burning car, beaten, bruised, and dazed. She popped the trunk of her squad car, revealing her case of firearms.

"Girl after my own heart," he flirted. He had just escaped a burning car and looked worse for wear, but he still managed to flirt with her.

Looking back on things, she should have known that one day things would change between them. It was always there, the undercurrent of attraction. The way they sometimes looked at each other. The way they would risk everything, including their lives for each other. _Whatever this is_ will be defined tonight; it will be something more. She stopped traveling down memory lane and mentally shook herself back to the present. She closed the case, locked it, and returned it to its place in the closet.

She went back to the box and removed the items from the gift bag and placed them on her bed. She took the items out of their respective boxes and looked them over, shaking her head in annoyance. The shoes were... _nice_ ; more than nice, actually. They were sexy and trendy. Not necessarily something that she would choose, but she wasn't against them. She eyed the four inch stiletto heel on the boots and wondered when she'd ever get a chance to wear them.

Her eyes wondered over to the bra and panty set he purchased as well. It was just so... skeevy. Scarface _knows_ that whatever message he's trying to convey by sending these gifts will _never_ happen. No matter how many times he thanks her and ogles her when she stops by to meet Elias.

Though the gesture was... thoughtful? No, that's probably not the right word. Nice? No, the gesture was actually kind of funny in a creepy sort of way. It was creepy because he was accurate on her shoe size, cup size, and underwear size and funny because it was very straightforward and to the point. He wanted her and he wanted her in black lace and heels. _That's never gonna happen Scarface_.

Joss heard her cell phone ringing and absently picked it up to answer without looking at the caller ID. "Carter."

"Carter? ...What? ...Hello? ...Girl, don't answer the phone like I'm some _random_."

Joss managed to hold in her chuckle and focused fully on the call. "Hi Janice**."

"Happy Valentine's Day Jossy-bear!"

"Same to you babe. Thanks for the call. What are your plans for the night?"

"I had a stripper pole installed in our bedroom today."

"A what?" Joss shrieked in shock and a hint of amusement.

"You heard me. A pole. I gotta keep the spice sizzling hot in this marriage. I'm gonna give Gabe a show he'll never forget. And after my performance, he'd better put his back into it and give me one too."

"T.M.I. Jan."

Janice giggled and said, "Sorry Joss. How was your day so far? Got a hot date tonight?"

"My day so far has been... interesting. And yes, I _do_ have a hot date tonight. He's actually waiting for me downstairs making dinner."

"Okay, you said today was interesting? Why? And if you got some fine ass man downstairs cooking something in your kitchen, then why are you answering the phone? You need to be downstairs letting him feed you while you seductively eat things off his fork."

Joss couldn't help but to laugh at her cousin's blunt way of getting her point across. "I'm getting dressed so I'll be heading to my kitchen soon. As far as the interesting things that happened today, well... that's a bit of a story you wouldn't believe."

"Oh yeah? Try me."

* * *

John could hear the water running in her bath upstairs and smiled. She hadn't come back down to throw him out, so hopefully she was pleased. After making a sauce from the braising liquid, he poured a little of it over the lamb shanks resting in the ovenproof serving dish. He settled the saucepan back on the stove and kept it warm under low heat as he covered the lamb with foil, preparing it for a quick ten minute warm up in the oven when Joss came back downstairs.

He stirred the creamy cheese polenta and covered the small pot, lowering the fire to a simmer to keep it warm. He worked on dicing the rutabagas, turnips, and carrots to keep his mind off how she might reject his gifts and also to keep his mind off the other gifts she received today. He drizzled olive oil over the veggies, adding a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste before letting them roast in the oven for a few minutes.

With curiosity getting the better of him, he walked into the living room and spotted the pink tulips from Ian on the end table. He would have to figure out a way to "accidentally" knock them over, breaking the vase in the process. He then saw the showy bouquet of red roses sitting on her coffee table along with the gift basket he remembered seeing from the video footage. He wondered what was in the gift basket and hoped that Joss left the card that came with it. As he looked through the basket of expensive cheese and chocolate, along with a great bottle of wine, he realized she did leave the card. What floored him is who the sender was.

Elias.

He always knew she was hiding something from him, and this explained a lot. That day when he called her as he and Shaw were evading the police, she mentioned that HR was going to try to kill Elias. There wasn't anything he neither could nor wanted to do for the mobster and he told her as much. Apparently _she_ ended up saving his life that night.

It explained why she had been so secretive last year. All those months when she was distancing herself from him; it wasn't just her secret investigation to take down HR, she was also hiding Elias and using him as an informant. _That's how she knew about the Russian diamond fence_ , he thought. It also explained why Elias agreed to keep his men at bay when Simmons put a hit out on him the night when he was trying to get Joss safely across the city to bring Quinn in to the authorities.

But what John couldn't understand, is Elias' dig at he and Joss "avoiding it long enough" and how he wasn't sure "Anthony would be happy about it". What in the hell did _that_ mean? Did Scarface have a thing for Joss? If he so much as touched her…

The ding from the timer on the stove brought him from his murderous thoughts. He grabbed the items from the gift basket and headed towards the kitchen to finish dinner. He'd take advantage of the situation and make good use of the wine, cheese, and chocolates Elias provided; especially since Elias not so subtly suggested that they share them anyway.

* * *

Janice could not hold in her laughter as Joss told her about what happened to her that day and all the gifts she received from these different men in her life. She had no idea who these men were to her cousin, but she knew that whoever they were, Joss had left a huge impression on them.

"Janice this isn't funny!" Joss said as she laughed along with her cousin.

"Yes it is and you know it. That's why you're laughing. I think you should keep those shoes. I have the same pair and I love them. Oh and keep the underwear too."

"I don't know…"

"Read the tag. Who made the bra and panties?"

Joss picked up the bra and searched for the tag near the hook. "La Perla."

"Ooh, whoever this Tony guy is, at least he has taste. I mean, the gift wasn't really tasteful, but the items are classy and expensive. You don't have to wear them for him though. Maybe you should wear them for Loverboy making you dinner downstairs."

Although Janice couldn't see her, Joss raised an eyebrow. In a voice dripping with skepticism, she said, "So I should wear items I got from one man and wear them for another?"

"Hell yes! You're never gonna wear it for the other guy anyway. Jossy-bear, I want you to wear the set under the dress Loverboy gave you and rock it with those boots. Go downstairs and make an entrance. He probably won't be able to keep his hands off you." From the sound of her voice, Joss knew her cousin was getting very animated right now talking with her hands and all. "Just make sure that he doesn't know the items came from another guy. Men get really testy about things like that."

"Gee, you think?" Joss shook her head as she made the risky decision to wear the lingerie under her dress. "Ugh… I can't believe I'm going through with this. Why do I always do what you ask?"

"Because you love me. And because you want him to see you look as sexy as everybody already knows you are. Knock him dead Jossy bear. Put it on him and then call me tomorrow to tell me about it."

Joss giggled, "I'll do that Janice. I love you."

"I love you, too. Enjoy yourself tonight and let him cater to you. Talk to you later."

After disconnecting the call, Joss put on the lacy underwear and slid into the dress. She stood in front of her full length mirror and looked over her reflection. The v-neckline plunged a bit deeper than she thought and her bra was just visible enough to tease him into wondering what else was underneath. She decided she liked the look and added the boots. She took another turn in front of her mirror and was pleased with the results. She hurriedly got rid of the gift bag and box, hiding them away in her closet and rushed back to the bathroom to touch up on her professionally done make-up from the spa and add a few curls to her hair.

She added a few dabs of the perfume to her neck, behind her legs, and on her wrists and made her way downstairs.

* * *

John heard her heels tapping the stairs as she made her way down from her room and he began to plate their food. The sound of her footsteps were slow and steady and were getting closer and closer until he heard them stop as she entered the kitchen. He could smell the perfume he bought for her as it wafted in his direction. He finished plating their food, with a healthy addition of the red wine sauce to the lamb and put the plates on the counter.

"What's cookin' good lookin'?"

John turned to give his own witty quip, but was at a loss for words when he saw the one person he'd been thinking about all day. She wore an interesting pair of mesh and lace stiletto heels on her feet with just a peep of her toes, painted a girly shade of pink. His eyes went upward to a pair of legs that seemed to go on for days. They looked smooth, soft, and were gleaming. His eyes continued to travel up her body and he saw that she had indeed chosen to wear the little black dress he bought for her. The handcuff bracelets were on her right wrist and ironically, the handcuff rings were on the pinky and ring finger of her left hand. The sexy lace of her bra peeked out from underneath the dress and when he finally looked at her beautiful face, he saw that her painted red lips were turned upward into a smile.

Without a word, he walked over to her and did what he had planned to do when she first came home. He placed one hand on her waist pulling her flush against him and placed his other hand against her face and leaned in for a kiss. Her lips were just as soft and delicate as they were before. She placed her hands on his chest as he held her closer, not quite ready to let her go and end the kiss.

As he deepened the kiss, his hand went from her face to the back of her neck, his fingers running through her hair. She moaned as he moved his other hand to the small of her back and parted her lips, inviting him into her intoxicatingly sweet mouth. As their tongues mated with each other, he felt himself getting hungry for more. He felt her hands gripping his shirt, pulling him closer and before he realized what was happening, her back was up against the wall, one leg wrapped around his waist, and her hands had moved from his chest to the back of his neck, her fingers running through his hair.

Needing air, he finally broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers. They stayed the way they were for a while, before he slowly released her thigh so that she could stand on both feet. Her eyes were wide with surprise at how intense their kiss became.

"Wow," Joss said, breathlessly. She almost didn't sound like herself.

"Wow, indeed. You look beautiful tonight." He bent down to give a small kiss to the beating pulse of her neck. "Mmm, smell good, too."

"You like it?"

"I do," he replied, with another kiss to her neck.

She moaned from his kisses on her neck. "Just a little something I found in my bathroom."

He finally straightened his posture and put a little bit of distance between them. "You hungry?"

She gave him a heated look and replied, "Yes."

He smirked. "I meant for dinner, Joss."

"Shut-up," she said, with a small giggle. "What are we having tonight?"

"Braised lamb with a red-wine sauce, creamy polenta, and maple glazed root vegetables."

"Mmm. That sounds divine. What restaurant did it come from?" she teased.

He responded with a rare, genuine smile and kissed her sweetly on the lips. "Go have a seat in the dining room, I'll bring it out."

* * *

After dinner, John prepared a small plate with fruit he purchased from the market along with the cheese and chocolates provided by Elias. They sat on the couch together in her living room, feeding each other bites of fruit and chocolate and sipping on the Bordeaux from the matchmaking mobster. As they shared stories about their day, John told her the story about the flowers, but what Joss wanted to know is where he found jewelry that looked like handcuffs.

"The handcuffs," she said as she raised her right arm to show off her new bracelet followed by her left hand to show off her ring. "Where in the world did you find something like these?"

"I can't share all my secrets with you, Detective." Joss pouted and all John wanted to do was kiss it right off her face. "What about you? Any more secret admirers I should know about? First there was Taylor who, by the way your kitchen looked when I got here, made you breakfast. Then there were the roses from Paul, your ex-husband. After that, you got a gift basket and what looks like a condolences arrangement from Elias."

Joss burst into laughter. "They don't look like that! They may be over the top, but they're nice."

John smirked and continued on. "Before you left to go to the spa to meet Shaw, Ian showed up. By the way, I think it's time you changed your number and lost his."

"Why? You jealous?"

"Maybe," he replied as he moved even closer to her so that their thighs were touching. He wrapped his arm around her and she leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder. "Anyone else I need to worry about?"

"No." She looked up at him, her face mere inches from his. "I'm all yours." She gently placed her hand against his chest, and he knew that she could feel his hammering heart. She leaned up to meet his lips for a kiss. A kiss that started off sweetly and soon grew in its intensity once more, hot enough to turn his blood into a fiery river of hot lava. Her warm, spicy scent drugged his senses as he broke their kiss to nibble on her neck. When a breathy sigh escaped from her lips, John's body tightened in response.

Joss groaned as her body melted against him. Without thought, her arms slid up and around his neck pulling him closer, but still not feeling close enough. She shifted to straddle his lap and pulled him away from her neck to go back in for another kiss. She couldn't get enough of his lips. Kissing him was like a drug and she wanted more. This kiss was urgent and deep, his tongue hot and slick, and her body felt hot as he wrapped his arms around her, holding her closer to him. When he broke free, she was the one who caught his lips again and nipped.

"Joss…" Not quite ready to hear his, 'It's getting late, I should go' speech, she interrupted him again with another kiss, grinding her core against his hardening member, causing them both to moan. His hands traveled down her back, stopping right before the curve of her backside. Willing himself to take things slow, he broke the kiss once more. He looked into her eyes, darkened with lust and softly asked, "What are we doing, Joss?"

"Kissing," she said, going in for another kiss but he turned away, with a soft smile.

"Don't you think we should─"

"Wait? No. Do you?"

He honestly didn't want to wait any longer to be with her. They'd had so many close calls, he knew that what they needed to do was seize this moment because with their jobs, there's no telling what day would be their last. "No."

"Then stay with me tonight," she whispered.

No other words were spoken as they rose from the couch and climbed the steps together.

* * *

They walked inside her dim bedroom, the only light coming from a small lamp on her vanity. Joss walked to her bed and looked at John expectantly; he had yet to move further than right inside the threshold of her room. He stood there as if he was giving her a chance to change her mind, or once again give him permission to be here with her. His gaze on her was intense and wanting and she could feel her body tingle in anticipation.

"Touch me," she whispered.

That was all the permission he needed. He quickly and quietly closed the distance between them as he approached her and anchored his hands on her backside kissing her hotly with more passion than before. She was right there with him, matching him need for need, sucking his tongue into her slick warmth and crooning with a fantastic mix of relief, enthusiasm, and encouragement.

He reached down to lift the hem of her dress up her bare thighs and the fabric bundled at her waist. His urgency was making him crazed and he knew he had to slow it down. He left a trail of kisses from her mouth down to her neck, making little bites and soothing them with his tongue. He reached around to her zipper and slowly lowered it pushing the dress off her shoulders. He wanted nothing else between his hands and her skin.

She helped him and pushed the rest of the dress down to pool at her feet, leaving her exposed in nothing but the black lacy bra and panties and her heels. He looked at her adoringly and she could feel him caressing her body with his eyes before he actually touched her.

"You're so beautiful," he told her right before he kissed her, this time gently and more with love than with lust. She sat down on her bed and scooted her body back towards the center, looking at him as he looked down at her with hooded eyes. He reached down and lifted her leg, removing one shoe and then the other, massaging her feet. She felt sexy and she felt wanted. Her eyes never left his as he began to undress. Once he was down to his boxer briefs, he joined her on the bed, lying next to her as he ran his hands up and down her body.

With each soft stroke across her body, her skin hummed from the sensation. He caressed her breasts and lightly ran his fingers over her taught nipples, straining against the thin black lace. He kissed her bare shoulder and kissed his way up her neck and back to her lips as he continued to caress her body, going back and forth to both nipples, giving equal attention. She moaned into his mouth as their tongues continued their sensual dance.

He slid the straps of her bra down and slightly lifted her up to unhook the clasp at her back. He tossed the bra over his shoulder, not caring where or if it landed. Her breasts were now free from the confines of the bra and they were full and heavy with desire, her nipples jutting and dark—perfect blackberries waiting for his mouth to suck, and suck hard. He wasted no time giving attention to her hardened peaks with his mouth.

She moaned in pleasure and felt moisture pooling between her legs. She was so hot for him and she didn't know how much longer she could hold out before telling him that she wanted him inside her. He gently bit down on her nipple before he soothingly sucked it, while his hand played with her other breast giving it much needed attention as well. As he moved to the other nipple, he slid his hand downward past the lacy barrier of her panties and stroked the slick cleft between her legs.

"John…" she moaned his name in sheer ecstasy, the sensations of what he was doing to her driving her mad. She clamped her hands on his shoulders before bringing them up to the back of his neck to run her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. Moving on from her breasts, he moved his head lower. He lovingly kissed the large scar on her midsection from the landmine that almost took her life in Iraq. She sighed as he worked his tongue over her body, paying special attention to her scars, and felt completely loved and wanted in a way she hadn't felt in a long time.

He kissed lower and lower still until he reached the top of her panties. They were skimpy little things, which was great because they didn't give him any trouble when he jerked them down her legs and threw them to the floor. Now that she was completely nude in front of him, he sat up to just look at her and take in all her beauty─ scars and all.

"John… please," she begged, no longer willing to wait, ready and open for him.

He stood to remove his boxers and climbed back on the bed, settling between her legs to hover above her. He leaned in for another hot kiss, his tongue mimicking the movement of his shaft rubbing against her slick opening. She moaned and wrapped one leg around his waist, spreading herself open wider, and he took full advantage as he thrust inside her to a breaking point that teetered between sweet friction and delicious pain.

He stilled his movements and looked into her eyes and saw the love and desire that matched his own. "I love you, Joss."

"I love you too, John."

With that, he began to move inside her thrusting deeper and deeper. With each sharp pump of his hips, he hit the exact right spot, harder and harder, and she swiveled her own hips in a frantic counterpoint, raking her nails up his back. He slowed the pace of his movement and she wrapped both legs around his waist, needing to feel every inch of him inside her. She felt the beginnings of an intense orgasm coil in her belly, slowly building up as her entire body started to tingle.

"Oh John… mmm… oh god, yes…" she groaned as her body began to tense. He lifted both her legs under his arms, to get a deeper angle and picked up the pace continuing to hit her sweet spot until he felt her tighten around him. She screamed out his name once more and he was right there with her, shouting out his release after another punishing thrust or two.

He felt his body go limp as he collapsed on top of her, hoping he didn't crush her with his heavy weight. Before he lifted himself from on top of her, he planted small kisses along her neck and collarbone. Once he slipped from inside her, he turned to lie on his back and rolled her to lie on top of him. Holding her in his arms, he felt content. There was no one else he would rather be with right now than with the woman he loved that equally loved him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Janice is an original character from my first fic, "The Bucket List". I had fun bringing her back into my POI fanfic world for a while since that story is currently on hiatus. If you haven't read it, you should check it out. I hope to get back to that story and complete it by the end of spring.


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